SAG Awards Film Nominations 2019

Predictions

Best Film Ensemble

“We can probably say that there’s a frontrunner and not a lot to argue about,” Gold Derby senior editor Rob Licuria declares about the Emmy for Best Movie/Mini Lead Actress. “Laura Dern is absolutely out front here”. Licuria recently teamed up with managing editor Chris Beachum, the original Gold Derby duo, in a series of slugfests this week about all six lead acting races at the Emmys. Watch their lively discussion about Best Movie/Mini Actress above. Also watch our recently-published videos about Best Movie/Mini Actor, Best Drama Actor, Best Drama Actress, Best Comedy Actor and Best Comedy Actress.

Dern received her seventh Emmy nod this year after winning last year in the supporting category for “Big Little Lies.” Jessica Biel is an Emmy debutante this year for her intense performance in USA Network’s “The Sinner.” Michelle Dockery is back at the Emmys for her work on “Godless,” after three consecutive nods for her most well-known role on “Downton Abbey.” Edie Falco returns to the Emmys an impressive 14th time, this time for her role on NBC’s “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders,” having already won four Emmys and being the only performer to win as a lead actress in a drama (“The Sopranos” in 1999, 2001 and 2003 and “Nurse Jackie” in 2010). Regina King continues her impressive late-career Emmy streak with her nomination for her role as a grieving mother on “Seven Seconds,” her fourth consecutive Emmy nod after three straight nods for “American Crime” (winning in 2015 and 2016), and Sarah Paulson is back for her impressive seventh nod this year for “American Horror Story: Cult,” winning in 2016 for her iconic role as Marcia Clark on “The People vs. OJ Simpson.”

“It’s a combination of factors. She’s the biggest movie star,” Beachum agrees about Dern being way out in front in this category. “She just won last year for ‘Big Little Lies,’ so she’s having almost a year-long moment,” he adds. “And ‘The Tale’ and ‘Godless’ where the only nominees that are also program nominees. So that usually indicates some sort of signal of strength, although you don’t have to be in a program nominee to win acting. It’s such a heartfelt performance and difficult performance that I feel like there’s some weight to it.”

“It helps that she has those things going for her,” Licuria agrees. “But if we are going to make arguments for others, despite the fact that it is quite telling that ‘The Sinner,’ ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Seven Seconds’ received no other nominations across the board,” he argues. “For Jessica Biel, I thought it was, for her a real breakthrough performance in her career. If they wanted to reward a younger actress who really did some amazing work that they probably weren’t expecting from her, I think she would be the person that would probably pick up votes for that reason.”